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District Attorney General Bill Gibson Announces Plans to Resign

April 24, 2008

by:

Dwayne Page

Long time District Attorney General Bill Gibson has announced his intention to resign effective, July 10th.

In a letter to Governor Phil Bredesen, dated today (Thursday) Gibson wrote "I am writing to submit to you my resignation from the office of District Attorney General for the 13th Judicial District. My resignation will become effective on Thursday, July 10th, 2008 and I will vacate the office on that date. It is my intention that this letter be irrevocable and offered in anticipation of giving you ample time to select a proper replacement for appointment to this office."

"It has been my great pleasure to serve the people of Tennessee and the Thirteenth Judicial District in this capacity for the past 18 years. Blessed with an exceptional staff great accomplishments have been made in our area. I have told many groups that the District Attorney has the very best job description in the world; to do justice on behalf of the people; to do the right thing under a wide variety of circumstances. My decision today follows through on that notion of doing what I believe is the right thing under difficult and challenging circumstances."

Gibson has been unable to serve as D.A. since his law license was suspended in 2006 over an ethics scandal.

That scandal involved letters he wrote to a convicted murderer and efforts he made to help a woman clear a meth conviction from her record.

Gibson was investigated by the TBI and the case was recently presented to a Putnam County Grand Jury, which failed to indict him for official misconduct.

The D.A. has since has been trying to negotiate with the State Board of Professional Responsibility to get his law license back.

Assistant D.A. Tony Craighead has been serving as acting D.A. in Gibson's absence.

Gibson was re-elected to a new eight year term in 2006. If Governor Bredesen accepts the resignation, he could appoint a replacement to fill out the unexpired term or until an election is held to fill the vacancy.

State law addresses Terms of Office--Filling of Vacancies-- " Except as provided in title 17, chapter 4, the term of each judicial and civil officer shall be computed from September 1st succeeding the election. No appointment or election to fill a vacancy shall be made for a period of time extending beyond the unexpired term. Every officer shall hold office until a successor is elected or appointed and qualified. No special election shall be held to fill a vacancy in the office of judge or district attorney general, but at the time fixed for the biennial election of civil officers; such vacancy shall be filled at the next biennial election occuring more than thirty (30) days after the vacancy occurs."